Five Gifts
by Maddie
Summary: Five gifts Teyla gave - one for each season. john/Teyla
1. Chapter 1

Gift One

**Comments:** I set out to use the word "gift" in each of my five ficlets. The first was set in the first season, the second in the second season, and so on. This final gift takes place post series finale (season five). I hope I was successful. This was originally written for the 2012 Beya Christmas gift exchange on LJ

Title**: Tea with Thee**

Set during the second half of Season One

Teyla walked quietly down the corridor leaving the raucous party behind her in the dining area. She had attended as a courtesy and out of curiosity. So rarely did their visitors from earth indulge in such frivolous and spontaneous gaiety that she was drawn by the infectious nature of their joy. The last such gathering had been shortly after they had all come to the City of the Ancients. That celebration, a coming together of two peoples, had been cautiously friendly, a sigh of relief at disaster barely averted. Yet, hanging over the celebration like an oppressive weight had been the newly awakened threat of the Wraith.

Today's celebration was different. The Lanteans, as they had come to be called over the past year, had indulged in an earth holiday the religious origins of which Dr. Zelenka, in a somewhat inebriated state, had tried to explain to her. She had listened patiently, and understood that these people represented many beliefs and yet they had suspended them all in favor of observing one that involved, among many other things, a giving of gifts.

Although her people gave simple gifts for a variety of reasons, a day devoted to gift giving intrigued her and she had stayed as they exchanged, more than once, a variety of brightly wrapped objects that had resulted in gales of laughter from those in the room. She had finally slipped away. She too had a simple gift to bestow. As she left the room she gathered a full carafe of hot water and two heavy china mugs. In the pouch at her side was a selection of spices and a rich herbal tea. She stood a transporter to the living area and within minutes stood outside his door.

It had been painfully obvious that Major Sheppard was the only off-duty member of Atlantis expedition not in attendance. It disturbed her that he chose to remain distant from his people when they were at their happiest and in some ways most vulnerable. She thought on the day they met. She had been uncertain of the sincerity of the earth soldiers, but could not forget his cheeky, lopsided grin as he informed her how much he loved a good cup of tea_. We shall see_, she thought raising her hand to the entrance bell to his quarters. _We shall see._


	2. Chapter 2

Gift Two

Title: I Will Avenge Thee

Set During Season Two. Okay, maybe this one isn't exactly in the spirit of the season, but it suited my mood.

Taking his bruised and bloodied face into her hands, Teyla forced her voice to remain neutral. It took all the calm, and control she had learned through years of negotiation, and Athosian diplomacy to remain calm. His left eye was already purpling and swollen, a bloody gash marred his forehead and more blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. She had found him on his knees in the dark cull de sac at the end of the village main street, doubled over in pain, his arms clutching his middle, protecting his ribs and stomach.

"John," she said firmly. "Look at me." She cradled his head, forcing him to look her in the eye, and as he did she did her best to gauge the extent of his injury. . Despite her outward control, she seethed with anger. They had been indulging in a meal and a draft of the local brew, waiting for an arranged meeting with one of their established contacts on this world. John had excused himself to use the facilities, and had not returned. It had taken less than an hour to locate him, and in that short time his attackers had been very thorough. John's eyes were unfocused. "Do you know who did this? Can you describe them to me."

John squinted as though struggling to focus on her face. "Genii"

"The Genii have not been active on this world. It has no resources to offer them."

John grunted, and opened his clenched fist. In his palm lay a button still attached to a piece of grey fabric – a Genii uniform button.

Teyla ground her teeth in anger even as her heart wept for his pain. Behind her she heard boot heels pounding down the cobbled alley as Atlantis personnel found them. Carefully she rested her forehead against his, then leaned back slightly and kissed the same spot just as the rest of the team arrived with re-enforcements.

She rose to her feet. "I will find them."

"You can't take on the entire Genii army," John protested through gritted teeth.

"I am not. I am only going to take on those who did this to you." She reached behind her back and withdrew her bantos from her pack. "And when I find them I have a gift for them."


	3. Chapter 3

Gift Three

Title**: The Bright Left Star**

Set during Part One of – "The Return" – season three

Lowering herself to a cross legged position on the cold ground, Teyla sighed and gathered her fur lined coat closely around her. In front of her was a flat stone, on which she piled tinder and kindling, sprinkled a few fragrant herbs and bits of bark onto the chips of wood and gently coaxed the tiny pile into a slow, smolder. The smoke that rose from the small pyre exuded a heady scent and Teyla inhaled the rich smoke deeply, tilting her head backwards and looking into the dark night sky. A band of stars, glistening like gemstones, arched across the moonless expanse, sharp and clear in the chill of the night, and she willed the curling wisp of smoke to rise to greet them. It was the only gift she could send to him, besides her thoughts. Neither of which he would ever see or feel.

She sighed deeply. "Oh, John," she whispered, "it has been a most trying day. The Genii negotiate from a position of great strength, and it is difficult for me to find ways to gain benefits for my people. It was so much easier when we had Atlantis to stand with us. It has been difficult…." Her voice drifted off as she stared into the sky. She missed him desperately, and not just to help negotiate with the Genii. She missed him for her, to fill the unbelievable emptiness that had overtaken her when he had so suddenly left Pegasus, ordered back to earth.

"Hey."

Teyla turned sharply as a tall dark shape emerged from the shadows.

"I was worried about you," Ronon said, standing a few feet away.

"I am all right. I come here to clear my head. To think."

Ronon nodded, sitting down opposite her and looking upward. "You can't see Earth's star from this galaxy." Ronon observed.

It always amazed her how astutely he read and understood her feelings. "I know," Teyla replied, finding it hard to talk against the sudden dry lump in her throat. "I pretend it is the bright left star in that cluster," She pointed. _And I pretend_, she thought, _that somewhere on Earth, he is looking this way too_.


	4. Chapter 4

Gift Four

Title: This Changes Nothing

Set During Season Four

Stretching forward, slowly pressing her ever swelling middle as far as she could to the floor, Teyla exhaled, willing her body to extend as it normally did with such ease. With a sudden rush of frustration she abruptly stopped trying to deepen the position. Half way was as far as she would go regardless of how hard she tried.

Perhaps John was right. Perhaps she had reached a point in her pregnancy where she could no longer be part of the team without endangering them and her unborn child. It was hard for her to admit that when so much was a stake. Sighing she lifted herself back up into a sitting position. Her thoughts turned to John, as they often did when she considered the child growing within her. She hated to think about the look in his eyes the day he found out she was pregnant. As always with John, it was not so much what he said, but what he did not, the hurt in his eyes that he could not quite mask. She still was uncertain if the hurt was because she had become pregnant with someone who, to John, was a total stranger or because the child was not his. She was not sure she could answer that question for herself. Nor could she begin to explain to him the intricacy of her relationship with Kanaan. While she loved her childhood friend, she was not in love with him. That they had conceived a child was a beautiful thing in a harsh and ugly universe. But even as children she and Kanaan had always understood that their friendship was an exquisite gift, rare, fragile and treasured, but always in flux, changing with their need and with the needs of their people.

Now, she had to make John understand that her relationship with Kanaan in no way changed her feelings for him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Gift Five**

**Title:** My Gift to You

**Comment: Set post-season five**

Teyla walked slowly accommodating her pace to that of her young son. Torren had discovered his feet since their arrival on earth and kept her constantly on guard that he might tumble into trouble. She marveled at his inquisitiveness, and his speed. Even numerous unplanned landings on his bottom did not deter him. He would quickly pull himself to his feet and totter off to explore his ever widening world. For now though, he seemed content to walk along with his mother, his hand in hers, as they strolled the upper balcony, watching the birds that circled outside the city's protective shield. Teyla knew the Atlantis was still invisible to people looking out from the earth city to the ocean, but she doubted they were unnoticed. Surely some errant ship had accidently bumped against their shield by now, and certainly some curious ship's captain had wondered why his vessel would not move beyond a certain point. John assured her that the Coast Guard as he called them was patrolling the perimeter though she wondered what ruse they had concocted to keep the ever questioning news media from broadcasting their concerns.

As though on cue, Torren giggled and pointed at the gulls that seemed to perch in mid air above them. "Bir," he said gleefully, "Bir." Teyla had to smile at his exuberance.

"Come on, Torren," she said. "It is almost time for your dinner." She steered him away from the balcony and into the mess area.

"He needs a puppy," John had said the day before. "To take his mind off the birds."

Teyla had protested at first. Pets were a liability on Athos. One more life that needed to be protected should the Wraith come. Her father and his father before him, had always discouraged the keeping of pets, yet she had found the Earth soldiers had an unusual affinity for small helpless creatures of any sort. As she thought of John she felt a surge of anxiety. The last month had been so difficult for him. It had been difficult for all of those who had been brought to this galaxy unwillingly. The adjustment from full alert at all times, to security, and safety did not come easily.

As with any near death encounter with the Wraith, their last victory was followed by the wild euphoria that comes with prevailing over seemingly insurmountable odds. And as always, after the euphoria came mourning, for those lost. But, instead of returning to SGA1's task of exploration and contact to counter that sorrow and give it purpose, this time, there was only the realization that she no longer had a purpose. No longer a leader, not even certain there would be a place for her on this world, for the first time in her adult life she had no responsibility beyond that of caring for her young son.

"Relax and enjoy it," John had told her. And she tried to do precisely that, filling her day with Torren, making up for all the time she felt she had lost with him, reading about this new world in hopes she might someday be allowed to explore it more fully, and spending as much time as his schedule allowed with John. For the first time, they had time to explore the potential of a relationship unburdened by command. Quiet dinners, lazy mornings, passionate nights she hoped would never end.

The first few days on earth had been bliss. The joy and excitement was evident throughout Atlantis, as various member s of the crew plotted meetings with family and trips to their favorite places. For a short while, she and the few other natives of Pegasus who had been accidentally or voluntarily transported to the Milky Way galaxy were forgotten. More than one crewman had gleefully asked her where her first stop was going to be now that they were 'home', before catching themselves in mid-question as they realized what they were saying. The mistake would invariably be followed with flushed faced apologies, though Teyla was genuinely not offended. She was, however, painfully aware that she was now an alien on Earth's soils and although human, she was also privy to far too much classified information to simply be released on her own. It would be weeks, maybe months before she was deemed trustworthy and she would always be a security risk. She had become as great a liability as the city itself. And in time her fate might well be tied to the fate of the city.

She did not complain. She was safe. More importantly, Torren was safe. And he stood a far better chance of being assimilated into this world than she. He was too young to possess any information that might make him a security issue.

They had all begun to settle cautiously into the routines of peacetime. The tone of the entire city seemed to relax. Then the IOA arrived with their investigators and the questions began.

"Standard debriefing," John had told her the first time he left their quarters to meet with the panel responsible for determining the fate of Atlantis and her crew. He had left in the early morning, dressed in a crisp blue dress uniform, straight and tall and more formal than she remembered ever seeing him. There was a smile on his face as he kissed her and gave Torren a bear hug and a tickle, but she could see the tension at the corners of his eyes. This debriefing was not to be taken lightly. Her turn would come in time. But for now the questions would be directed to Atlantis command personnel.

"This may take a couple days," he said. "Nothing to worry about." His assurances did not fall on deaf ears, but she knew how intractable and overbearing the IOA had been through all the years of overseeing the Stargate program. And her concerns were not ill founded. When John finally returned that evening he said very little. The topics they discussed were considered classified and she understood this, but very little had happened in the last five years, classified or not, that she had not been part of. Still, she knew not to press him for details. He would talk in his own time, but the tension around his eyes remained.

And as the days drew on, tension was overshadowed by dark circles of exhaustion. Days became a week, then two. Debriefing, became interrogation, became inquisition as the IOA questioned every decision he had made in the past five years. Command decisions that had, at the time, been the best, most logical option, were now looked on with skepticism and in some cases scorn. Atlantis' commanders had always backed John when the IOA intruded on the internal affairs of the city, but Woolsey was facing his own inquisition.

All she could do was hold him until the tension eased, and she felt him relax in her arms, only to know that the next day, it would all start again. They would share a quiet meal and John would play with Torren until the toddler had giggled himself into yawns. Then after a warm bath, John would read to him, or make up stories until they both drifted off to sleep. Teyla watched their interaction a smile of contentment on her face and wondered why John had ever questioned his own ability to parent a young child. Past difficulties with your own parent did not mean an inability to do better.

This evening had been no different than the twelve that had preceded it since the IOA had intruded into their lives again. Gently, she lifted Torren from John's arms careful not to wake either of them. The days of questioning had taken their toll. The uncertainty of both their futures weighed heavily on them. But for this moment, they were content. She snuggled her son into his bed, kissing him on the top of the head before dimming the lights.

Returning to the common room she eased herself on to the couch next to John. He shifted to accommodate her, opened his eyes and smiled sleepily at her.

"It's over," he said quietly.

Teyla's heart lurched. "What?" she asked tentatively.

"Woolsey backed me up. So did Samantha Carter. Until they decide what to do with Atlantis, I'm still her military commander." He drew her more closely to him. "And, you, Ronon and the other Pegasus personnel, are allowed to stay here in Atlantis. This will be your home for now, and hopefully, it won't become a prison. I'm pushing hard to have you all assimilated into Earth somehow. Or," John hesitated a moment, "if you want. We'll return you to the Pegasus galaxy as soon as the Hammond is ready for the trip."

Teyla felt him tense.

"I know we left Kanaan behind," he continued. "He's Torren's father. "

John left the rest of the comment unspoken. He was asking if she wanted to return to Kanaan. Teyla lifted herself on to one elbow so that she could look him directly in the eye. "Kanaan and I have been friends since childhood. We have always understood that our relationship was fleeting. We did not plan to conceive a child, but he was a gift we accepted. And while I love Kanaan, and always will, he is not the one who has won my heart."

Teyla watched the light of hope in John's eyes. "But Torren should be with his father too."

Teyla laughed. "Do not pretend that you have not heard him call you 'Da'. Kanaan would be a wonderful father but the time is not right for him. He is a leader and did not feel that he was ready. Torren too has made his choice."

"You are also a leader."

Teyla nodded. "I will always be so. For now, I can be content to be a mother. Torren will soon be grown. And…" She slipped from John's embrace and crossed the room to retrieve a small tissue wrapped package from the drawer of the desk where she had placed it two weeks ago.

John sat up and watched as she approached and sat beside him. On her last visit to the mainland, Dr. Keller had made a small purchase for her. She held it now, wrapped in tissue. Teyla held the tiny package in her hands. "I have a gift for _you_," she said softly as she placed it in John's hands.

John hesitated a moment then gently tore the wrapping. At first he looked confused, and then a truly joyous smile split his features. "Are you saying?"

"Yes," Teyla said with a laugh as he swept her into his arms and kissed her fiercely.

Inside the tiny bundle lay a pair of baby booties, tied with a soft pink bow. Torren would soon have a little sister.

The end


End file.
